Mold for pneumatic tires for vehicles.



E. HOPKINSON.

MOLD FOR PNEUMATIC TIRES FORAVEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 3|. I918.

Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

ERNEST HGPIQZIENSQII,

or 'nnw YORK, n. I.

IEIQLD FDR PNEUMATIC TIRES FOR VEHICLES.

Application filed January 31, 1918.

new and useful Improvements in Molds for I Pneumatic Tires for Vehicles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to molds for use in the manufacture .of tires and is directed more particularly to the type of molds used inthe manufacture of pneumatic tire cesings. l

The prinu'psl object oi the invention is to pro 'ide a, mold formed in sections that may be readily secured together about the tire by simple devices that may be easily and quickly applied and removed and which make it feasible to use a. mold oi comparetively simple design and of considerably reduced weight.

Referring to the drawings forming part of this specification:

l igure 1 is a transverse sectional View of a mold showinq the preferred en'ibodiment of my inv ntion with a the supported therein; and,

Fig. 2 is a perspective View oi. the assembled mold-locking or clamping devices.

In the usual type of tire mold wherein the sections are secured together to enable he mold, while supporting the tire, to be about to be vulcanized independent of y confiningg' pressure, such as is applied by the hydraulic rum of the vulcaniziin; it has been the usual practice to movie sections with oppc tcly disposed 111E933}? mternel cireumferentiul tluuges or in re )lTiOD Or ierous bolts 2: which are npplicu and ren'ioved at each. vulcanization of a tire in order to assemble and disassemble t nold sections. This represents a tedious and laborious operation as the bolts can only be tightened andloosened by the aid of a. powerful wrench which causes the expenditure of much time and hibor. Furthermore, the flanges or lugs must be comparatively large to afford the required strength of material. and thereby add much to the weight complexity of the mold sections. My invention is directed toward eh t P ll these fastening means and sub, n very siu'iple elui'nping be readily appl ed and Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec, 31, 1918,

Serial No. 214,609.

which will permit of considerable reduction in Weight of the mold.

In the present embodiment, I have shown a mold especially adapted for use in building it tire, according to my method as set foriliin my co- )OllClllW amlicution Serial L b L No. 212,517, but it is not intended that my invention be in any way limited to any particuler method of building the casing for it may be used with tires builtupon a core or othenwise in any manner desired.

The mold in my preferred embodiment comprises the members 11 which when assembled form n cavity which. defines the size of the tire to be molded which in the present instance, is represented by the tire casing which is mounted upon a supporting rim 3, but as before renuirked, it is in no way limited to this type of support. The sections are similar in the main to the usual mold sections, with the exception that they may be made mate 'ially lighter. They are provided along: their contacting faces with the usual complementary flange and groove connection for insuring accurate registering of the two members.

My invention being mainly directed to simplicity and efiiciency of structure, the clamp in its simplest form is in cross-section of the general outline of :1 channel iron as clearly shown in Fig. l and comprises the flanges 01' jniws 5-5 and connectil'lg' web 6. This forms a clamp which spans the mold members in a manner to cause the flanges or oppositely disposed points. The flanges 5 nnd web 6 are preferably made us an intcgr'el I structure and present substantial ri 'idity and strength to serve the intended purpose of holding the mold sections together.

It is obvious that any desired number of these clamps may be used and that they may be applied either from the inner or outer circun'ifercncc of the mold as desired. In either event, the flanges will constitute a gripping jaw that will grip the mold members over a considerable area and extend well toward the center of the inner cavity to be in elinement with a considerable portion of the mold cavity in order to resist most 'efiiciently the internal pressure produced during the vulcanizing treatment.

In the preferred embodii'i'ient of my invention, have-shown the clumps a p the inner cireumterence of the mo.

, ing corresponding tapering surfaces 9 to receive the tapering faces of the mold members. The clamps are best applied while the mold members are being subjected to pressure as from a hydraulic press. The clamps can then be easily slipped in place and to in-.

' surethe desired engagement of the. contact ing surfaces -7 and'S), it is desirable to provide the clearance spaces 10 and 11 between the web 6 and the mold sections, and outer edges of the flanges 5.and grooves ,8.

In one embodiment of my invention the clamps are made in sections which may, for instance, be four in number as shown in Fig. 2. .These may, for simplicity of manufacture, becut, from a cylindrical drum having a suitable cross-section, in a manner to leave a small section 12 which may be cut Wedgeshaped from the cylinder andwith the edge weaves I edges of the mold members to hold them to- 65 gether, and means independent'of and separable from the mold members for maintaining said clamps in position.

3. A mold for vulcanizing tire casings comprising outer mold members cooperating 70 arc-shaped webs having integral projecting 80 flanges with oppositely disposed inner faces for engaging oppositely disposed correspending faces of the said members.

5. In a mold for vulcanizing tire ctmings the combination of outer mold members 00- 85 operating to form a cavity for the tire and clamps independent of'saidcavity formed of webs having integral projecting flanges also cut on a bevel, in which instance the with oppositely disposed beveled inner faces flanges and a portion of the web at the "smaller end are cut away and the curved bar 13 secured to the inner face as shown in Fig. 2. This bar cooperates with the beveled faces of the wedge-shaped member tosecurely maintain it in accurate alinement with the adjacent sections or clamps. The sectional clamps thus form a cylindrical shell having a wedge-shaped opening which is engaged bythe wedge-shaped locking member 12 to prevent the sections becoming loose or falling out of place if the pressure of the mold withoiit departing from thespirit thereof, it

is to be undcmtgod that I do nOtlTii "l to limit myself to the specific form of the invention as set forth except as indicated in the appended claims i i What Icaipi and desire tojiecure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. A mold for vulcanizing tire casings comprising outer mold members cooperating to form a cavity for the tire, clamps in dependent of said cavity holding said members together, and means independent of and :para-blc from the mold members for main- .aining said clamps in position.

2. A mold for vulcanizingtire casings comprising outer mold members cooperating to form a cavity for the tire, clamps inde-' for engaging oppositely disposed. correspondingly beveled faces on the said members.

6. In a mold for vulcanizing tire casings the combination of outer mold members cooperating to form-a cavity for the tire and spondingly beveled faces on the said. mem here, said clamps in their locking positions,

providing a space between the said web and members.

7. In a mold for vulcanizing tire casings the combination of outer mold members 00- operating to form a cavity for the tire provided with complementary engaging parts for preventing relative lateral movement of the members, and inextensiblerigid clamps independent of said cavity having oppositely 11o disposed flaring faces providing an unobstructed. space therebetween adapting said faces to engage by sliding movement corresponding oppositely disposed flaring faces on the members for holding the members 116 together.

8. In a mold for vulcanizing tire casings the combination of outer mold members cooperating to form a cavity for the tire and clamps independent of said cavity formed 120 of arc-shaped webs hav ng integral proJccting flanges, said members being provided with grooves for receiving the said flanges.

9 A mold for vulc'anizing tire' casings,

comprising'outer mold member-s coiipcrating 126 to form a cavity for the tire, a re s'haped clamps independent of said cavity for holding sald members together formingan open meegme cylindrical shell, and a lOClilIl member in the opening for securing the sections against displacement when in clamping positions.

10. A mold for vulcanizing tire casings comprising; oul'er moldmembers cooperating to form a cavity for the tire, arc-shaped seciional clamps independent of .iiill cavity for holding said members together forming an open cylindrical shell the contacting" edges of the sections being in radial planes, and a locking men'iber in the opening for securing the sections against. displacement when in clamping positions.

11. A l1'1()l(l for vulcanizing tire casings comprising outer mold members cooperating to form a cavity for the tire, arc-shaped sectional clamps independent on said cavity for holding said members together forminga cylindrical shell with a Wedge-shaped opening; and a well eshapml lockingniemlmr engaging the nails of said opening for secnn ing the seciions against displacement when in clamping pcsitions.

12. A mold for vnlcanizing tire casings comprising an inner support for the tire having a porti-zrn extending outwardly beyond the edges of the tire, outer mold H1610.- bers engaging (he extended portion of the inner support about oppositely 'sposed faces lo render said support in'iniovahle IOlfir iiw. to the sahl members and tire throughout the entire functioning she parts, and a plurality of independent cl nps lor holding said members together to render said mold individually portable.

13. in n mold for vnl -anizing tic casings file conihiinnion oi. outer nioh'l members no viding a tire r ring"; cavity i'herehetween and clamps inllepen lci1l of eairl eavw/ily formed oi Webs havi'i iiangres with oppositely rlisiaoseil inner faces for engaging oppositely rlisposecl corresponding; faces of lJhC said members in nlinemenl will a considerable porl'ion oi said mold cavity. a

lfilignerl at New York ity, ew York, this 30th lay f January, 1918.

integral projecting 

